The first picture of the Holy Trinity is seen in Genesis 1. God had created the world and was pleased. Lastly, he chose to create man. Genesis 1:26 says, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.’” 

John was called the “beloved disciple.” He knew Jesus as his dearest friend on earth. In his gospel, John introduced Jesus saying, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He went on to say, “He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:2–3).

Most people think the life of Jesus “began” in a stable in Bethlehem. That belief can reduce Jesus to just a special kind of human being, when, in fact, there was never a moment of Jesus’ existence where he wasn’t fully God. The Holy Trinity is difficult to comprehend with our human limitations. But we need to know, believe, and teach others that the birth of Christ was the moment God Incarnate stepped out of heaven and into the world.

Jesus was and still is the “Word” who was with God and was God. As Genesis 1 reveals, Jesus was with God in the beginning and humankind was made in the image of the Holy Trinity: the Father, Son, and Spirit.

The author of Hebrews described Christ in this way: “The founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2).

Jesus chose to leave the glory of heaven to become an infant and grow to be a man. He needed to experience everything humans experienced so he could one day be the holy sacrifice for every sin committed by humankind. Jesus “endured” an earthly life so that all people could live eternally.

When asked about the meaning of Christmas, we need only quote John 3:16 with conviction. God loved us and sacrificed himself for us. Wisdom is understanding that the gift of Jesus is our treasure. Wisdom is treasuring the gift we have received.